International friendly preview: Ghana vrs South Korea

Michael Essien winning an aerial challange in a previous meeting with South Korea

Ghana will look to find some crucial momentum when they take on South Korea in both sides' final friendly before the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

Kwesi Appiah's team lost 1-0 to the Netherlands in Rotterdam at the end of last month and by the same scoreline to Montenegro in March, meaning they have not won since the turn of the year.

Ghana, who came within a whisker of qualifying for the semi-finals of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, face a tough task getting out of Group G in Brazil having been pooled with Germany, Portugal and the United States.

Appiah will surely want his team to gain some confidence on Monday when they clash with South Korea in Miami.

Four years ago, Ghana reached the World Cup quarter-finals but missed out on a berth in the last four to Uruguay after Asamoah Gyan's spot kick in the final minute of extra time hit the crossbar, following Luis Suarez's handball on the goal-line.

In the ensuing penalty shootout, Uruguay won 4-2.

While Ghana's form indicates they may find this year's World Cup tougher, Samuel Inkoom, who played twice in South Africa - including the controversial Uruguay game - reckons they are even better in 2014.

No African country has ever reached the semi-finals at the World Cup.

"I believe we have the quality, experience and team spirit to go even further (at the World Cup) this time around," the Dnipro defender said in the lead-up to Monday's friendly.

Hong Myung-bo's South Korea are in similarly poor form to Ghana with three defeats in their past four matches, including a 1-0 loss to Tunisia last week.

South Korea triumphed 2-0 over Greece in March but lost meekly to the USA and Mexico in their two games preceding that contest.

But in a blow to Hong's preparations, the South Korean squad has been hit by a virus this week, while Appiah will have to monitor the fitness of goalkeeper Adam Kwarasey, who left training with a suspected thigh injury on Tuesday.

South Korea triumphed in the last meeting between the two teams in 2011, having lost their previous two.

Gyan will be hoping his fine form against the Asian nation continues having netted four times across those three fixtures.

In Brazil, South Korea have been drawn in Group H alongside Belgium, Algeria and Russia.

Peter Jumbo says:

This should only be a preparatory,but a win will boost confidence,but it should'nt be a must win but rather tactical. I wish my beloved Ghana well. Go Ghana Go!

selfmade says:

June 07, 2014 12:06 pm

This preview was written by KENT MENSAH of goal.com and infact is one of the worst previews anybody can do! This guy is a Ghanaian and he should be ashamed of himself by given out such a narrow, hollow and empty preview! Can't believe that a football entity like goal.com ll present this CRECHE piece as preview for fans to read! As someone already said, this by force writer didn't say nothing about the match TIME AND DATE and he even made an elementary mistake or a LIE by saying that the last time Ghana won a game is against NAMIBIA! Really! I can't believe this guy and what is shocking is that forumites on this forum BRAG,YUP AND YAKK about western countries and how good they are in their everything but goal.com is also a western owned entity but is literally like any football entity in so called third world country! IS NOT EVERYTHING THAT GLITTERS IS GOLD! Has SAMUEL INKOOM ever play TWICE IN SOUTH AFRICA let alone one? Infact journalism is the EASIEST PROFESSION in the world and one doesn't have any certificate or common sense to do it and this kent MENSAH is a perfect example of how easy is it to be a journalist!

selfmade says:

June 07, 2014 12:25 pm

Again we should win this match because this is not the first time we are going to the WC and in previous ones, all our players featured in our friendly matches and nothing happen to them! All the WC bound countries are using their full squad for friendly and nothing has happen to them! Again, this is our last WC friendly and all seriousness should be attach to it! We just had only two friendlies and that shows how unserious we are! Players cannot MAITAIN THEIR FORM IN MERE TRAINING THATS WHY WE HAVE FREIENDLY MATCHES BEFORE COMPETITIVE MATCHES to assess the players!

Dennis says:

June 07, 2014 12:26 pm

Is dis wat u called match preview?

Fred says:

June 07, 2014 12:40 pm

akwasi appiah is a wack coach ghana can never by pass portugal and germany

Boro says:

June 07, 2014 12:21 pm

I think I agree with the forumites who say the match is not a must win. I also disagree with the people who says AA should at all cost deploy his first team in this friendly. Winning in friendlies are good but i think it purpose should be trying out tactics, checking out options in every departments of your team etc. In the last friendly for instance, i realised we have not yet overcome avoiding conceding cheap early goals, i saw only one option of our central defense and will like to see the other options, also like to see the performance of the other two goalkeepers, like to see what other option there is apart from that useless pair of Nkoom, Adomah pair on the right. I also saw Kwadwo Asamoah Afriyie Acquah as the best pair that can protect the back four with KA on the left and Afriyie on the right but will like to see pairing any one of these two against Essien and Muntari. Will also like to see that option of Kwadwo operating behind the strikers etc. I will also like to see some interpositional changes especially the right and the left side of our attack but not NECESSARILY WINNING AGAINST SOUTH KOREA. After all what will be the use if we win say 6 nil but ends up losing all our group matches. He should also not feel any form of pressure to use any player if he believes that as a precautionary measure or a decision to surprise the BS opponents i will say i am all for it.

Paradox says:

June 07, 2014 10:30 am

All the to yo team. Do wat Zambia failed to do against Japan.

pendrive prince says:

June 07, 2014 01:41 pm

coach akwesi appiah should start the match with his first team players for Ghanaians to know thier strenght and what they can do in Brazil. Monday Ghana will win by 3 goals to null. Go Ghana go blackstars.

peter says:

June 07, 2014 08:44 am

akwesi Appiah should use his first elevn to start de game,so that we will how strong our team is. please play the game with caution otherwise remeber(injury)

Macclusky says:

June 07, 2014 09:04 am

Ghana vrs South Korea
Date 9/06/2014
Time 11:00PM

King Wise Don Fuzzy says:

June 07, 2014 09:10 am

Benny@ I can't agree with you more. That is exactly what we expect to see. I mean, tactics. That's all. We aren't interested in the scoreline per say, though a loss could deepen our scepticism. And a win could wake our supporting spirit that is slumbering for a while now.
Thank U. God Help Us.

sheff says:

June 07, 2014 09:22 am

Useless piece no probablel lineup, no notin aahba gsn wake up.

Kwame Asante says:

June 07, 2014 09:52 am

Ghana and Germany to qualify from group G ahead of Portugal and the united state of America to the round 16 at this yearâ€™s world cup in Brazil.And I am confident Ghana can reach the semi-finals.Take it or leave it

LORDY says:

June 07, 2014 05:13 pm

Ghana Korea friendly, wat can cum can cum.

ChiefRocka says:

June 07, 2014 05:32 pm

Bro, @selfmade I'm interested in you and a couple others anylisis on GSN, question: what would be your starting 11 for de BlackStars this WC?

cyriuse deviruz says:

June 07, 2014 03:58 pm

exactly what i was thinking... a fucking preview of a match with no info... this site is fucking insane

Emmanuel Appiah-kubi says:

June 07, 2014 04:03 pm

Great opinions from everybody but I have watched all Germany and Portugal friendlies, these teams are really not special in anyway than our Black stars. As long as our boys go in boot for boot, we gonna be alright in Brazil.people , be proud with what you have, even the USA believes they can make it out of the group with their top striker scoring no goal for the whole season and playing from the benche

bester emmanuel says:

June 07, 2014 08:38 pm

KWESI APPIAH MUST BE EXTRA CAUTIOUS ABOUT PLAYER SELECTION IN THIS BRAZUCA CUP, I FORSEE A MASSIVE DISSAPPOINTMENT IF COMPETENT PLAYERS IS NOT USED TO COMMENCE OUR OPENING GAME AGAINST U.S.A.
KWASI MUST IMPROVE UPON THE DEFFENSIVE BUILD UP.
OUR DEFENDERS ARE TOO WEEK FOR MY SEEING.
HMMMMMMM...GHANA W) ADWUMA Y3 PAA.

Suker says:

June 07, 2014 02:07 pm

Ghana will regret taking Akwasi Appiah to the world cup. Its a promise and his ineptitude will surely be displayed in his game on monday. He is poor when it comes to adopting an alternative plan when the opponent is having the edge. He totally lacks ideas and all will be exposed by the pacy koreans. We will surely regret.

Benny says:

June 07, 2014 07:06 am

This shouldn't be a must win game.it must be a good tactical display.We want to see what is to happen in Brazil .We want to see an organised team irrespective of who plays.

21guns says:

June 07, 2014 07:14 am

I think the players should not put so much effort into the friendly against the south Korea for the sake of minor injuries,
But yet still I will welcome a trash scoreline.
Ghana 3 south koraa 0

King Wise Don Fuzzy says:

June 07, 2014 09:17 am

Benny@ I can't agree with you more. That is exactly what we expect to see. I mean, tactics. That's all. We aren't interested in the scoreline per say, though a loss could deepen our scepticism. And a win could wake our supporting spirit that is slumbering for a while now.
Thank U. God Help Us!

African Consciousness says:

June 07, 2014 09:52 am

Portugal is holding their star player Ronaldo till Brazil. Ghana should do the same. Gyan should maintain his form at practice but sit this one out. South Korea is another team short on skill but big on hustle, tough tackling and physical. Another buga buga team. A really good test for Ghana as the USA will be playing a similar style albeit a little polished.
Gyan knows how to protect himself but I will not risk our best striker for a meaningless friendly win days before the big dance. I want to see El Capitan teach Brazilians the Azonto. We want to replace the Samba with the Azonto as Brazil's national dance!